The Perfect Birthday
by Katie of Gryffindor
Summary: Harry's annual countdown to his birthday makes him ponder what he thinks the perfect birthday would include... But he is interrupted by a certain someone who comes to deliver a present... (slash)


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Disclaimer: They're not my toys. I just make JKR share. ;-) 

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Author's Notes: I got the idea for this ages ago, but the actually words came to me tonight. I hope it's alright… It's another one of my 4am creations. If you get squicked by slash, how have you found your way to my fics? Please read. Enjoy. Embrace. Review!

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The Perfect Birthday

By Katie of Gryffindor

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Harry Potter lay in his bed, eyes trained on his wristwatch. _A little while longer, now…_ It was the next to last day of July, only a quarter of an hour before midnight. Harry was in the process of his annual countdown to his birthday. He wondered what marvelous chores the Dursleys were saving up to force him into on his sixteenth birthday. One minute ticked by…

Harry slipped his hands under thick ebony locks. He wondered if he would ever have a good birthday. _Once I get out of this hell hole…_ thought Harry bitterly. _Then I'll have a good birthday. A good birthday… What_ is_ a good birthday?_

The world was shut out as eyelids fluttered closed over emerald eyes. Harry contemplated what his perfect birthday would include. _A party. A big party with all my friends._ Harry smiled at the image of his aunt and uncle's faces as his friends roamed around number four, Privet Drive. 

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No… Not here… As much as the thought of the horror-stricken faces of the Dursleys amused him, his mind went to a much better place for a party. The perfect place, he'd wager. _The common room in Gryffindor Tower. It's a shame my birthday's not during the school term…_ Another two minutes passed on into oblivion.

Harry's mind floated to his perfect guest list. If he had his druthers, he would want to have his parents there amongst the guests. But his mind insisted upon a realistic ensemble of party-goers. 

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Hermione and Ron, obviously. Harry's head went through the most important people in his mind. His surrogate fathers, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin came quickly after his best friends, followed by a long line of others. _Dumbledore. Hagrid. Dean, Seamus and Neville. The whole Weasley family, of course…_

His old teammates came to mind next. Along with Fred and George, there was Alicia, Oliver, Angelina and Katie. All of them had already graduated from Hogwarts, but Harry was sure they would make things more fun. _Who else…?_

Harry's mind went to his other friends. Colin would have to be there, and his little brother Dennis. They may have been annoying for a while, but they were starting to turn out to be good guys. Lavender and Parvati and Padma. Victor Krum had become a good friend after the Triwizard Tournament, along with Fleur Delacour. The three of them had kept in touch since the tournament, especially because of what happened… _No, I'm not going to think about what happened that night. Not on my birthday… _Harry added his fellow champions to the list, and another three minutes flew by unnoticed.

Harry grinned. Emeralds were now in view again. He stared out the open window as time ticked by, imagining his friends dancing around the Gryffindor Common Room, smiles playing on everyone's faces. His guest list was getting longer and longer… He added Roger Davies to the group so that Fleur could see him again. Thinking about his fourth year brought Dobby and Winky to mind then. _They could use a night off,_ thought Harry, smiling again. 

Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie Macmillan were next into the mix. They were the co-captains of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and Harry, as Gryffindor captain, befriended the pair over the last year. Cho Chang, captain of the Ravenclaw team, was added too. Even though Harry had gotten over his crush on her, he still enjoyed her company. 

The next person Harry thought to invite made Harry's heart skip a beat. There was only one more Quidditch captain. Harry's breath slowed as the boy's gray eyes floated into his mind.

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Draco. Harry sighed. He hated that his archrival, who also happened to be Quidditch captain for Slytherin, made him feel this way. He shook his head rid himself of the mental picture of Draco Malfoy. Harry sighed again. _Why do I get all giddy when I think of that prat?_

Harry sat up in bed and positioned his watch in the moonlight so he could see the face. He still had another seven minutes before he was sixteen. His mind traveled back to his perfect birthday party. Harry smiled as he imagined what perfect gift he would like to receive from his friends. But he couldn't think of anything that would make the _perfect _gift. He shrugged slightly and went back to his guest list. Eyelids slipped down again.

He imagined standing in the common room, amid all his party guests. He saw himself walking over to Draco Malfoy, staring into his molten silver eyes and seeing them smile for him. He envisioned the blonde moving to meet him, a smile playing on his lips. He could almost feel the warmth of Draco's hand on his flesh as pale fingers brushed away coal-colored hair and exposed the skinny line of a scar on his forehead. Harry leaned into the dream-touch.

And felt a real hand.

Harry snapped his eyes open again and saw the same thing he had just imagined. He shook his head slightly, blinked a few times and looked up again. He wasn't imagining this, was he?

There, standing in front of Harry, was none other than Draco Malfoy.

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I'm going mad. Draco Malfoy is not_ standing in my room._ Harry blinked again and bright green eyes met unusually warm gray ones. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times, searching his throat for his voice. Unfortunately for Harry, his surprise seemed to have scared his voice away.

"What's the matter, Harry?" asked Draco smoothly. He set his broom against Harry's headboard. 

"I-. Uh. Wh-. H-?" Harry stopped sputtering and swallowed heavily. He took a deep breath and tried again. "Are you really here?"

Draco smiled. A soft laugh escaped from the blonde's lips. "Yes, I am here." Draco picked up one of Harry's hands. He bent the tanned fingers so that a single finger was pointing at himself. Then Draco brought Harry's hand to his chest and made Harry poke at him a couple times. "See? Real flesh and bones."

Harry gaped. _What is Draco Malfoy doing in my bedroom?_ Harry gaped some more. 

Draco moved to sit on the edge of Harry's bed. "Do you mind if I sit? I just spent much of the night flying here." Harry moved his sheet-covered legs over to make room for the object of his affections. "Thank you."

Harry finally overcame the shock of Draco Malfoy showing up in his room and cleared his throat. "Malfoy, what are you doing here?"

Draco smiled again. "It is almost your birthday, right?"

Harry nodded dumbly. 

"Well, I've come to give you a birthday present." 

The brunette gaped at the blonde. "Since when do you give me _any _kind of present, let alone deliver it personally."

"Since now." Another smile played upon Draco's lips as he took in Harry's astounded look. "What, am I not allowed?"

Harry shrugged. "I suppose you are. I just-" Harry looked down at his hands. 

"What?"

Harry looked back up into the beautiful molten silver eyes. "I just don't understand why you've suddenly decided to bring me a birthday present, after we've been rivals for so long."

Draco scooted closer to Harry, resting a hand on Harry's thigh. "Things change, Harry. People change."

Harry nodded silently. 

The two boys were mute for a moment, contemplating things. Harry looked down at his watch. _Four more minutes,_ he thought. _Four more minutes and I'll be sixteen._

Harry looked up. His heart skipped as he looked into Draco's eyes. There was something there he had never seen before. The usual malice and anger were gone. In their place was something Harry could not read. 

"So where is it?" he asked finally.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Where is what?"

"You said you brought me a present. Where is it?" Harry searched the floor of his room, seeking a foreign parcel, knapsack, something. 

"You have to close your eyes," said Draco quietly. He smiled mysteriously.

Harry's scar was lifted as his eyebrows ran for cover under his bangs. "Why?"

Draco moved even closer to Harry. There was only a foot of space between the two boys now. "Because," stated Draco firmly. The finality in Draco's tone told Harry he would not win a dispute on the matter.

With a sigh, Harry complied. He heard his mattress creak softly and sensed Draco closing the distance between them. Harry never could have anticipated what came next.

He felt soft flesh pressed against his lips. Harry responded timidly, swearing that this _must_ be a dream. He reached a hand up to feel the soft skin covering Draco's cheek. No, this wasn't a dream. That was real skin under his fingers. The kiss became more insistent and Harry gave in to Draco. A hand slipped into Harry's hair, pulling his face closer still. 

Harry parted his lips and flicked his tongue over Draco's lips. They spread eagerly and two tongues met to duel for supremacy. Harry moaned faintly. Draco's tongue escaped its counterpart to roam over the features within Harry's mouth, gliding along teeth, slipping over gums, tickling the palette. 

Harry was pushed back into his pillows. The two boys' hands began roaming over the new flesh under the pads of their fingers. Almost every cell of Harry's body was screaming for more, begging him to rip every stitch of Draco's clothing off. 

But there was a miniscule part of Harry that was wondering what was happening. _Duh, Harry, you're snogging Draco Malfoy. Are you that naïve? _He broke the connection abruptly.

Harry looked at Draco. His cheeks were flushed a flattering shade of rose. His lips were slightly swollen from the extensive kissing. And his eyes were full of questions. Over all, Draco looked even more attractive than usual. 

"Is everything alright, Harry?" Draco's eyebrows knit themselves together in worry.

"Erm." Harry looked away, fingers playing with his worn sheets. "I need to know something."

"Anything. Just ask." Draco smiled tentatively.

Harry swallowed. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you kiss me?" Harry finally met Draco's eyes again. The same unreadable emotion was playing in them. It was Draco's turn to look away. He took a deep breath.

"Because that was my gift to you." Draco looked up, his anxiety evident in his eyes. "Did you not like it?"

"Oh, Merlin, _yes_. I loved it." Harry smiled slowly. "Really. But I don't understand why you _would_ kiss me." 

The smile was reflected on Draco's features. "There is only one reason why I kissed you."

"And that is?" asked Harry. 

"I am in love with you."

Harry stared at the blonde, utterly dumbfounded. "You _what?"_

"You heard me, Harry." Draco gazed at him intently. "I am in love with you."

Harry's eyes were the size of dinner plates. He had no idea what to say. Draco Malfoy, for whom he'd been harboring feelings for months now, just told him that the feeling was mutual. _What do I do now?_ screamed Harry's mind. He glanced at Draco's face. The blonde looked worried. Scared of being rejected. And Harry knew. 

He smiled. He sat up just enough to brush his lips against Draco's. And then he spoke.

"I'm in love with you too."

Grins found their way to the faces of both boys. 

Downstairs, the grandfather clock Vernon bought last month started chiming. Draco gazed down at Harry and his grin brightened.

"Happy Birthday, Harry." 

Lips crashed together again, and Harry lost himself in the kiss. The tiniest piece of his mind that was barely conscious of things brought one thought to Harry's mind.

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I think we've found out what the perfect birthday present is.

~*~The End~*~


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